


James Rhodes

by EaSnowPw



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Developing Relationship, Falling In Love, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-22
Updated: 2019-03-22
Packaged: 2019-11-27 19:15:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18198245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EaSnowPw/pseuds/EaSnowPw
Summary: Rhodey had seen Tony in any possible version. Happy, sad, drunk, high, sober, in love, heartbroken, angry, dying, smug and more.Pining Tony was the worst, by far.





	James Rhodes

Rhodey had seen Tony in any possible version. Happy, sad, drunk, high, sober, in love, heartbroken, angry, dying, smug and more.

Pining Tony was the worst, by far.

* * *

 

He wasn't concerning, like other states, or even funny, he was just plain annoying. Rhodey was happy for Tony that he'd managed to move on from Pepper, but this had to stop.

He was always asking or talking about a certain sorcerer, making it look like fascination with magic (which was fair), but Rhodey had seen enough longing looks to last him a lifetime. He had seen his fair share of too long to be just friendly touches and fond smiles while the other was laughing or "being cute".

"So when are you going to ask him out, Tones?"

"What?"

No blushing. This was even worse than he'd imagined. He wasn't pining. He was oblivious.

"Strange. When are you asking him out?"

"Why would I...?" The pin seemed to finally drop. The engineer's eyes widened. "Shit."

"So next time you see him or...?"

"Ha! No way. He can't know."

The colonel facepalmed. "Why not?"

"We're friends, Rhodey-bear. I don't want to ruin that."

"Stank, he feels the same. One of you needs to stop being a bitch and grow up."

"Not it!"

And there was that. His best friend was a pussy.

* * *

 

"I don't recommend entering the laboratory now, colonel," Friday chimed a few weeks later.

"Why?"

"Sir and Doctor Strange seem to be having a... private conversation."

Could it be...?

"About damn time. Let me know when they're finished."

The news he was bringing from Ross could totally wait. This was important.

All things considered, Rhodey approved wholeheartedly of Stephen. He and Tony were similar enough to be on equal footing, yet different enough to keep things interesting. They obviously cared about each other. Stephen had been there for Tony after Thanos, had helped him cope with everything that had happened to him. He'd been there after Pepper left. He'd always been proper and useful. God knew Rhodey wanted someone like him for his friend.

When Friday let him know that Tony was alone, Rhodey entered the lab. His friend was, for lack of a better description, awestruck.

"Got a date?"

Tony.exe seemed to reboot. He nodded, blissful and amazed. He was so in love it could have been adorable.

"Yeah. He said he'd waited until he had fewer duties before he asked."

"Guess we now know who wears the pants in this relationship."

Rhodey laughed when he was flipped off.

* * *

 

The first date went well, as far as the colonel could tell. His friend was so happy he was permanently high the next day. He could only hope it would last.

* * *

 

"I'm dating him," Tony told Steve one day, in front of all the Avengers. The question had been how he was going to meet the sorcerer to inform him about something.

So, really, with everyone there, it was more like he'd announced it to the whole world.

"About damn time," Clint retorted.

Everyone else agreed. Rhodey hadn't been the only one noticing things.

* * *

 

Tony in love was mildly annoying, but cute. Rhodey didn't need to ask him how much longer he had until the next date. His friend began buzzing with energy as time ticked by, almost vibrating by the time the sorcerer arrived. Then he was all over the place, showing the other his latest experiments, asking about his newest spells and overall gravitating around his boyfriend.

Stephen was no better, to the colonel's amusement. He could hold a normal conversation right until Tony stepped into the room, then he was lost. His gaze softened, a ridiculous smile breaking onto his face and, although he tried to focus on whoever had held his attention until then, it was a lost cause.

* * *

 

When Iron Man crashed into the unforgiving ground, Rhodey wasn't the only one at his side. Oh, how the tides had turned!

"Tony? Tony, no, Tony!" The armour retreated back into the chestplate with a simple hand wave, leaving his friend free to be cradled by his lover. Stephen started checking Tony for damage, trembling.

"Strange, you left us with no aerial support!" Steve yelled in the coms.

"I got you covered, cap," Rhodey replied. "Doc's busy being a doctor." He met the sorcerer's worried gaze. "Get him into a hospital and come back."

* * *

 

After the battle, they gathered at the hospital. Tony was unconscious and the look on Stephen's face spelled tragedy. Rhodey pulled the shaken sorcerer away from the others before they could crowd him.

"How bad is it?"

"We suspect brain damage." He'd said "we", not "they". The first bad sign. "Either way, paralysis of the right arm is a guarantee." He wiped at his eyes, a whimper escaping his throat. "We won't know for sure until his brain scans are finished."

"Strange..."

"I should've caught him. Damn it, I could've. I only took my eyes off him for one moment and..."

"Wow, stop there!" Rhodey grabbed the sorcerer's arms. "It's not your fault. Understand? Not your fault." He got a hesitant nod. "Tony knows the risks and he keeps putting himself out there. That's his choice."

"Doctor Strange, we have the results," a nurse told them and handed him a file. Stephen opened it with unsteady hands. A few seconds later, his whole body seemed to relax. He nodded and followed the nurse.

"Hey, don't leave me hanging! Strange!" Rhodey yelled.

"He's fine," the sorcerer explained with a wide smile. "Or he will be, soon."

* * *

 

The first one to talk to Tony after he'd regained consciousness had been Stephen, which... ok. Rhodey let them have that, although he put his foot down at being the second.

"Rhodey-bear, congratulate me!" his friend cheered from his bed.

"Congratulations," he replied drily. "What for?"

"I'm getting married."

"Oh. Congratulations." He'd put more feeling in it this time. "So, when are we going dress shopping?" Tony's face was priceless. "He asked you out first and proposed. You're totally the bride."

This time, he wished he could've taken a picture.

* * *

 

It took Tony one day to modify Rhodey's leg braces and use them for his arm. He used being engaged as an excuse for his slowness. Stephen had watched him struggle with one hand and offered magical assistance, which had been promptly declined. Rhodey kept him company, too.

"Tony..." Stephen began, wary. He glanced at Rhodey, who gave a questioning look. Did he want him to leave? Apparently not. Stephen motioned for him to stay. "You should think of retiring."

Bomb dropped. Time for disaster. And what a disaster it was.

Tony lost his shit. Rhodey had to take Stephen's side on this, which made things even worse. After the usual deflection, he got self-conscious, especially after Stephen brought up his age. It ended with both of them getting kicked out of he lab, engagement ring shoved in Stephen's hand.

"Is this why you proposed? You want me to be a housewife?" their friend had asked, agitated.

"Tony, be reasonable..."

"Answer the damn question."

"No, I love you and I want to spend the rest of our lives together. And I want it to be as long as possible, which is why I'm doing this."

Rhodey glared at the sorcerer, who was staring at the ring in his hand longingly.

"You should've told me beforehand. We could've come up with something to convince him."

"To be fair, I wasn't planning on you being there, but I figured I had better odds of success with your assistance."

"I'll do some damage control later." The colonel sighed. "You're not wrong, you know? Though that goes double for me. I'm even older."

Stephen nodded.

"Of course, that applies to you as well."

"I'll talk to him. You should do your best to disappear for the next few days."

* * *

 

"He doesn't love me for who I am. Like Pepper," Tony complained later that day.

This time, Rhodey had his speech ready.

"He's fought by your side, Tones. He loves you and he wants you safe. You almost died and we would've had to pull the plug on you. He's a doctor. He knows, better than you or I, how bad that fall could've been. And, if you keep this up, it won't be your last one."

Tony looked down.

"I can't retire. The world needs Iron Man."

"The world needs Tony Stark more. Clean energy, medical devices, better equipment for the Avengers, someone who keeps the greedy politicians off the Avengers, we need all that more than we need you on the frontlines. Strange is right."

Rhodey would always hold it over Strange's head that Tony listened to him.

* * *

 

Rhodey watched his best friend get married and thought that nobody deserved that happiness more. He saw him dance with his husband and wished him all the joy in the world. As for his own happy ending...

"Major Denvers, may I have this dance?"


End file.
